LETTERS: Pensioner poverty must be tackled now

In reforming council tax for pensioners there should be a cold weather additional discount applied to current council tax bills in the winter months of the year.

I believe that the poorest in society should be protected from tough times and should not be penalised by those who run local government in the regions across this country.

It is time that bread and butter issues such as pensioner poverty were tackled by the politicians in Parliament and in the council.

The council tax discounts that exist should be index linked to inflation and average earnings so that automatic reductions come into effect each and every year. Councils should start reducing their real expenditure that some of their residents object to: